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Topic Review (Newest First)

03-15-2009 07:00 PM

ntx_gearhead

Quote:

Originally Posted by poncho62

Polish tools???..........

I still have the Husky socket set that I bought 40+ years ago..........plus some of my dads Snap-on stuff from years before that.......Scratches in them are just war wounds...............

AMEN boss!!!!!!!!!! AMEN!

Gearhead
"Drive It Like Ya Stole It"

03-15-2009 06:59 PM

oldschoolrods

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldred

Actually in the professional work place they are worth the extra cost, well worth it! Maybe in a shop where a replacement could be borrowed until the exchange/repair can be made the cheaper tools may be OK but out in the field where it is literally a "make it or break it" situation then the pro tools are worth their weight in gold. On a remote construction job, a mine site, an oil rig or numerous other places the pro types are not just nice they are a necessity! The best replacement warranty in the business is not worth diddly when you are miles from a replacement and the only, for instance, 1 14" deep socket in your box cracks and it is the only thing that will fit. I have seen that situation before and when the down time on the machine is costing thousands they don't want to hear excuses, they just want the machine up and running! This is where tools like Craftsman and other lesser quality brands will cause a major headache and exactly why the guys who tried to get by cheap would trade their Craftsman for Snap-On or Proto in short order. Of the non-professional grade tools Craftsman is probably the best available but there is a big difference in reliability between them and Snap-On, Proto, Mac, etc and reliability is worth a lot more than the difference in price. When a person's job and livelihood depends on what is in his tool box then the pro tools are definitely worth the extra cost because tool failure can cut into a person's income and offset any savings in a hurry!

Oldred this is exactly what happened to me in the other post about the craftsman torque wrench. Let's just say it was a painful lesson

03-15-2009 06:06 PM

oldred

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irelands child

Are they worth that extra cost now? Nice tools, but no,

Dave W

Actually in the professional work place they are worth the extra cost, well worth it! Maybe in a shop where a replacement could be borrowed until the exchange/repair can be made the cheaper tools may be OK but out in the field where it is literally a "make it or break it" situation then the pro tools are worth their weight in gold. On a remote construction job, a mine site, an oil rig or numerous other places the pro types are not just nice they are a necessity! The best replacement warranty in the business is not worth diddly when you are miles from a replacement and the only, for instance, 1 14" deep socket in your box cracks and it is the only thing that will fit. I have seen that situation before and when the down time on the machine is costing thousands they don't want to hear excuses, they just want the machine up and running! This is where tools like Craftsman and other lesser quality brands will cause a major headache and exactly why the guys who tried to get by cheap would trade their Craftsman for Snap-On or Proto in short order. Of the non-professional grade tools Craftsman is probably the best available but there is a big difference in reliability between them and Snap-On, Proto, Mac, etc and reliability is worth a lot more than the difference in price. When a person's job and livelihood depends on what is in his tool box then the pro tools are definitely worth the extra cost because tool failure can cut into a person's income and offset any savings in a hurry!

03-15-2009 04:17 PM

Irelands child

I'm not sure that S-O will disappear - but my guess is that they may become some other tool company or consortium's special pet. Those mechanics that owe for a mega box, they might just have a major push on them to get their debt paid off. How many have read the fine print in the contract for that $10,000+/- tool box with special ladder and commode? I sure never did when I bought a bunch of S-O tools 'way back then'. But of course the tools weren't many times that of a comparable Craftsman or Mac - maybe only twice as much. Are they worth that extra cost now? Nice tools, but no, and especially now, but the cost of debt keeps increasing and someone (the tool buyer and the route man) has to pay for that debt. Unfortunately many mechanics are so far in over their heads for tools and when a dealership has a lay off or closes, something has to give. The mechanics can't pay their weekly $$$, and the route man/headquarters will end up eating a bunch of those costs even if they can reprocess many - who wants to buy a beat and battered set of sockets for 75% of the original selling price.

What you are seeing is an effect of a poor economy where credit has caused some major downturn in credit collections and a headquarters that has had to eat lots of that debt - and is passed down to the low man - the route guy who might be able to suffer some losses but with a margin so tight not all of it - then they too disappear.

Dave W

03-15-2009 12:53 PM

eloc431962

I have used craftsman tools for over 30yrs.and yes some have broke but i still use craftsman my tool box is full.i also have some snap on and yes i really like them also.as far as cleanig my tools i do like alot of you i wipe them down after every use and when needed i spray alittle wd40.oh yea i recently bought some of craftsman professional tools now they are pretty nice tools.as far as the drawers in some tool boxes jumping off track and falling down thats because just like me you probably bought the cheaper tool box and your drawers are probably over loaded.it really comes down to what you want and what you can afford.i have not had a problem yet with my tracks but they sometimes are hard to pull out and shut.i am secretly looking at better tool box my wife says i dont need one but we will see. I love tools. cole

03-15-2009 11:00 AM

cobalt327

IMHO, one big thing Snap On had going for them was that they would let line mechanics charge their tools/boxes. Then each payday the truck rolls up and the guys file out to make a payment. Same thing w/Mac. Convenience has its price, though.

Their quality isn't so much better, nor the warranty, to warrant their prices in my opinion.

Just like anything, some swear by them- others AT them!

03-15-2009 10:13 AM

oldred

Quote:

Originally Posted by GYOGI65

snap on says a broken tool has had its full life

I am going to predict the demise of Snap-On before long at all! They are bringing it on themselves because they built their reputation on the fact that when you paid for Snap-On you were buying a tool for life as long as you don't loss it. If I was starting out now and needed to outfit my shop I would be extremely leery of spending the kind of money Snap-On would cost for a tool that is very likely to be an orphan soon. I keep hearing the same thing from everyone anymore, either Snap-On has some excuse for not replacing a tool or they simply can't be found. It was for a long time that about the only "non" pro tools that were worth anything at all was Craftsman and even their quality has slipped, the cheap imports were of such poor quality they were laughable and totally unusable even for hobby work. Things have changed a lot and now some of the imports are as good as Craftsman and quite a bit cheaper although I would never recommend them for commercial duty, they are however fine for home use. I don't think all the pro manufacturers will disappear because there is still a sizable market of mechanics who know the difference and the importance of using real pro quality tools but I think the number of companies will shrink and sales practices will change. I am also thinking that most of these traditionally American made tools will become imports made to the company's specs and whether the quality will remain is anybody's guess, JMO.

03-15-2009 06:56 AM

GYOGI65

I have been at this for more than 25 years i have snap on mac and craftsman and a set just for taking atorch or grinder to to make fit also have sevral cheater bars live in the great rust belt new york the trick is not the tool but the mechanic knowing the right tool to use .but when the mac co pulls a truck out of the area and snap on says a broken tool has had its full life thats bull i have broke then all .my old dealer was great but he died

12-28-2008 03:44 PM

Soul_Hunter

when i first started out, i did heavy line work.
i had a craftsman roll cab & the top box for it, both full of craftsman tools.
the sockets broke, the wrenches rounded off nuts & bolts.
fighting a rounded bolt is what made me try a Snap-on wrench. from that day i haven't bought another craftsman tool for on the job use.
i learned, craftsman wrenches and sockets just were not up to the task.
i started filling the craftsman boxes with Snap-on tools. that was back in 1977.
when those boxes got too small, they were replaced with a Snap-on box with roller bearing drawers.
with Snap-on, very seldom do i have a problem with a rounded nut or bolt. i've had to replace fewer broken Snap-on sockets in the last 30 years than i had to replace in that first month when i worked with craftsman sockets.

i wish i only had $20,000 invested in my tools.
i clean my tools before they go back in the box every time.
sometimes when its slow, i wax them.
i clean and wax my boxes too.

now that i no longer do heavy line, the craftsman boxes are back at work & the Snap-on boxes came home.

12-27-2008 06:48 PM

OHD

I guess that proves Snap On tools don't grow on TREES.....

12-27-2008 06:42 PM

trees

For what it's worth, US Air Force Jet Engine shops are stocked with Snap-On tools. They are provided by a contract which is really a good deal for Snap-On, The USAF and the tax payer (and mechanics of all types). Jet engines require a lot of special tools and strong, thin wall sockets and end wrenches are the more common one. You should see the tool boxes in these shops. First, they are all arranged identically, drawer by drawer. Secondly, each and every tool is in it's place. Third, ever tool is assigned a number that is engraved on it, which identifies it with each individual tool box. Each mechanic checks his box out starting a shift and checks it back end at the end of the shift. He checks to make sure every tool is in the box before he starts to work, and every tool is replaced when he checks the box back in. If one is missing, nobody leaves until that missing tool shows up. First, you can't risk a 2 Million dollar engine grenading from a socket whirling around in it, or a 100,000 million dollar aircraft crashing from a trashed engine in flight. Second, pilferage of high dollar tools that the tax payers have bought is frowned upon!!!! This is the best tool program I have ever seen.

Trees

12-27-2008 01:27 PM

Irelands child

My tools - all of them, including the Snap-ons, MACs, S-Ks and the Craftsman, etc are always wiped totally clean of any crud, and if they got wet somehow, a shot of WD-40, then a good wipe down. They are either lined up by size in a drawer or in the case of my Sears stuff, hung, again by size and/or type on a pegboard. Beater tools - I don't buy junk from Korea, Taiwan, India or China, etc unless it's a unique, single use, never to be seen/used again. I'm not anal enough to polish them....... I also NEVER lend tools to anyone without me being attached

Dave W

12-27-2008 12:41 PM

poncho62

Polish tools???..........

I still have the Husky socket set that I bought 40+ years ago..........plus some of my dads Snap-on stuff from years before that.......Scratches in them are just war wounds...............

12-27-2008 11:57 AM

speedydude

Quote:

Originally Posted by OHD

Snap On has recently made a decision to make a judgment call as to used tools ownership and will never deny warranty to the origional owner. If you did not buy it new they may not replace it. If you have other Snap On tooling they rarely deny exchange. This was done because some of the warranty return items Snap On was scrapping, were showing back up on Ebay for sale. Snap On always puts a "grind mark" on the origional replaced tools and the ebay sellers were listing them as "grind marks destroying the origional owners id" marks.

In the example above with the guy using the pipe on a ratchet, to extend its strength, that is why Sears has to make their tools physically bigger, so this type or idiot does not kill himself or some close.

Interesting to know, as was the written complaint remark.

I think we've all used a cheater bar at times. The longer the bar you're using...........look around at what you're gonna hit, because something's gonna break loose..........

12-27-2008 11:35 AM

weirdbeard

[QUOTE=OHD
In the example above with the guy using the pipe on a ratchet, to extend its strength, that is why Sears has to make their tools physically bigger, so this type or idiot does not kill himself or some close. [/QUOTE]

Oh come on man! You never did that ever?

Sometimes we do stupid stuff in the heat of the moment..

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